Joss Class of '68 50th Anniversary Reunion

50 YEARS    -    1968 to 2018    -    Yes, some regrets; but, many joys!

What do you use as a reference for a 50th anniversary?  I think of my paternal grandparents' Golden Wedding Anniversary.  I also think of my parents' Golden Wedding Anniversary.  As a participant in those celebrations, I viewed 50 years as a long, long, long time.  On those occasions, as I listened to family stories, I sensed that the history of our family, of our rural county in Northwest Ohio, had come full circle.  (I had no conception of the history of our universe then!)

Our Class of 1968 - most of us came to the Pontifical College Josephinum in 1956.  Our class was identified by the expected year of our ordination - 1968.  Our perspectives for these last 50 years are unique for each one of us.

What we, Joss Class of 1968, are celebrating this Fall are those blessings, graces, and gifts we have received and those blessings, graces, and gifts we have given to others.  Consider these past 50 years as a pathway.  You know what a pathway is like.  It's never straight; it's uneven in some locations; it has steep inclines and declines; it's hemmed in by brush through some stretches; it's also marked by vibrant birds and brilliant flowers along the way.  Yes, we are celebrating the Golden Jubilees of our classmates who were ordained in 1968.  We are also celebrating the diverse lay vocations of the rest of us who tilled in our Lord's Vineyard.

Those of us who attended our last class reunion on the Outer Banks of North Carolina in 2016 achieved consensus that we celebrate our 2018 reunion in Ohio.  The remaining question was whether we would spend our entire time at the Josephinum and in the Columbus area or we would split our time between activities in the Northern Ohio area and the annual reunion day at the Josephinum.  Mike Heydinger, a master at organizing reunions of all kinds, made his pitch and he accepted the baton.  We have an exciting schedule for our class reunion in September.

We are arriving in Sandusky, Ohio, on September 23.  After we have checked in at our hotel of choice, we will gather together around 5:00 pm and enjoy a clam bake dinner around 6:00 pm.  Depending on the weather, Mike will have the location pinpointed.

Monday, September 24, will be spent around the Sandusky area.  In the morning we will first go to the Lake Erie Maritime Museum.  From there we will venture to Fireland's Winery for a tour, wine tasting, and lunch.  In the afternoon we will head over to the Merry-Go-Round Museum located in the transformed 1920's era Post Office in downtown Sandusky.  Subsequently, following the "obligatory" group picture at the Boy with the Boot fountain area, we will assemble at St. Peter and Paul's Church for our concelebrated class Liturgy.  Fr. Frank Kehres is handling these arrangements.  We will then cap our day with dinner at the Landmark Restaurant.

Tuesday will be spent in the Cleveland area.  We'll have a few choices to choose among: a scenic train ride through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park; East Ninth Street Pier featuring Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, The Cod, Museum of Science; University Circle area where Cleveland Art Museum, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Cleveland Botanical Gardens, and Crawford Automobile Museum are located.  Lunch will be at Great Lakes Brewing Company and dinner will be up the Hill to Little Italy at La Trattoria.  (Mike says Presti's Bakery is nearby with the best baked goods and desserts.)

On Wednesday, September 26, we will convoy to Amish Country located in the Northeastern part of Ohio.  We will arrive at Mrs Yoder's for lunch; travel to Heini's Cheese to sample their delights; visit the Behalt, site of the Amish and Mennonite Heritage Center, which illustrates the history of the Anabaptist movement from its origins to the present day; and stop at the Yoder Homestead to get an inside look and tour of an authentic Amish homestead and their operation.  After dinner at the Berlin Farmstead Restaurant we will return to Sandusky.

September 27 will be the peak of our reunion.  We will drive down to the Josephinum where we will join in Alumni Day festivities.  Highlights for this day include a campus tour, concelebrated Liturgy in the restored St. Turibius Chapel with seminary community and alumni, formal lunch and awards presentation, various afternoon activities, and celebratory dinner for the Class of 1968 and the Class of 1993 hosted by Fr. John Allen, PCJ'S Director of Development.

One last thought: what is our destination for our class reunion in 2020?

This concludes our 50th Anniversary Reunion.  If some of you wish to hang out in the Columbus area for another day or two, that opportunity exists.  In the meantime, if you have other specific questions, email Mike Heydinger at Mheydinger@huronhs.com or call him at 419-357-6245.